Kristi: What I'm Reading

Harold Senkbeil’s book Dying to Live

All of our discussion on prayer and the amount of prayer and how to pray has prompted me to re-read Senkbeil’s section on private prayer. Allow me to share several excerpts from the book...

With Heart and Mouth – These are the two focal points of prayer. We would do well to keep our mouths linked with our hearts when we pray; private prayer works best when it is oral prayer... While the silent meditation of our heart is just as pleasing to God as the words of our mouth, we would do well to seek out places for private prayer where we can speak out loud... We’re not pure spirits, after all; God has given us bodies as well as souls. And so when we as the children of God come to our Father in heaven it’s natural that we form our words with our lips as well as our hearts... Not only is it the most natural way for us to say what’s on our heart, but it is also the natural way for our hearts to listen to the Word of God.

I prayed aloud as a child as my parents taught me the words and rhythm of prayer. Somewhere along the way I abandoned that practice and became a silent pray-er. Why? I have no idea. Singing the word of God is one way to hear the Word of God, as well as pray it.

Dr. Senkbeil writes these words regarding song. When we’re alone at prayer singing reminds us that we are not really alone. The unseen fellowship of the entire church is with us in that prayer; we hear it in the church’s song placed on our lips to sing. In either public or private, singing adds a third dimension to prayer. The mouth and the heart are involved in all prayer. But in singing, the whole body gets to join in; the prayers and praises originating from the heart reverberate through muscle, bone, and cartilage.

What should I use to help form my prayer life? I’ve seen some wonderful suggestions from our ladies. Which one to choose?

Hear Dr. Senkbeil once more. This is where prayer books come in handy. They provide a framework for prayer that can see us through the thick and thin of our spiritual lives. The idea of using a prayer book might seem artificial at first but there’s a lot of wisdom in it. No one would seriously think about taking a trip through unknown territory without consulting a map. Why shouldn’t we consult a spiritual guide when we set out to pray? Please don’t be concerned that the use of “set prayers” will stifle the prayers of your heart. Properly used, you’ll find that prayer books actually prompt the heart to greater depth of prayer.

Anyone who wants to get in shape physically gets set for a regimen. Physical conditioning demands discipline; muscles must be exercised in order to gain tone and strength. But muscles don’t exercise themselves; bodies would rather sit than get up to run or life weights. You know the old saying: “No pain, no gain.” Why should it be any different with our spirits than with our bodies?

He goes on to suggest the Prayer Office. He also reminds the reader that Jesus is ALWAYS praying for us. That is probably my greatest comfort as I struggle with prayer.

Ladies, you encourage me. Just yesterday I began my spring training regimen for my own physical health. I did some exercising. Perhaps this is a good time for me to also work on my spiritual health.